Journalism is at the heart of SBC’s public service mandate. All content – whether video, audio or text – helps to shape perceptions of reality, provide guidance in public debate and strengthen formation of opinion, and critically question facts, which is crucial for our direct democracy. With our reliable journalism, we contribute to mutual understanding and thus also to social cohesion in our multilingual and multicultural country. This is our responsibility.

These Editorial Guidelines, for the first time consolidated over all language regions, set out a common framework for everyone who contributes to SBC content. Binding on a daily basis, they apply to all genres from news to culture, entertainment, sports, society, education and knowledge. The SBC’s Editorial Guidelines establish common principles, standards and responsibilities across the organisation, while respecting the diversity of the language regions and the specific characteristics of the individual genres.

Relevance, professionalism, independence, diversity and accessibility are the base of quality journalism. These principles demand that we handle facts and sources carefully and responsibly, that we distinguish between personal opinion and journalistic stance, and that we create transparency about our decisions and processes. We critically examine content, clearly identify uncertainties and take responsibility for the impact our work has on our audiences. Accuracy, diversity, transparency and capacity for self-scrutiny are essential elements of SBC’s credibility – no matter the genre or format.

This document sets out a public commitment explaining how we understand our role in serving audiences and contains concrete guidelines for everyday journalistic practice. In this way, we strengthen journalistic quality that ultimately protects and affirms all our values.

In a rapidly changing media environment marked by the growing number of platforms, disinformation and increasing polarisation, we need brave, independent and transparent journalism more than ever. These guidelines are not a static set of rules, but a living and public instrument that is being developed on an ongoing basis. Implementing them requires attention, dialogue and willingness to question our work repeatedly and critically, combined with the ambition to constantly improve and with the attitude that we have to earn the trust of our audience again and again. This is the only way to make sure that the public service remains a credible and relevant point of reference and can be further strengthened.

Susanne Wille, SBC Director General